10 Most Vicious WWE Grudge Matches Ever
8. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart - WrestleMania 13
Bret Hart spent a lot of 1996 sitting at home after losing the WWF Championship to Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XII. Meanwhile the new heel on the block, 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, began using the increased profile afforded him by his win at the King Of The Ring tournament to taunt the absentee Hitman, constantly challenging him to return - which he did in time for Survivor Series.
The finish was far from decisive, however: trapped in the Million Dollar Dream submission, he flipped back off the turnbuckle to pin Austin, who refused to relinquish the hold and paid the price. Without a conclusive finish, the feud could continue - and Austin kept needling at the Hitman, sneak attacking him and generally making his life a misery. Two months later, Austin was eliminated from the Royal Rumble by Hart - but as no one saw it happen, he sneaked back in and eliminated the Hitman in return to 'win' the Rumble.
He was denied the traditional WrestleMania title shot because of his illegal reentry, and Hart would go on to win the vacant WWF Championship at the In Your House 13: Final Four event after eliminating Austin from that match. The next night on RAW, Austin returned the favour again to cost Hart the WWF title in a match against Sycho Sid. Hart had had enough of all Austin's constant assaults and taunting, and challenged Austin to a submissions match at WrestleMania 13.
The thing of it was, the psychotic heel Austin was beginning to be cheered and the babyfaced Hitman just beginning to be booed. The Attitude Era had arrived, and Hart's indomitable, virtuous white knight was out of fashion. Hart vs. Austin at WrestleMania 13 was the moment in which that sea change finally became concrete.
The match itself was fantastic: perfectly judged wrestling storytelling at its finest, culminating with Hart's notorious blade job on Austin and Austin, covered in blood, passing out in the Sharpshooter rather than submit. The greatest double turn in professional wrestling had taken place: Hart had turned heel, while Austin turned babyface.